# Land Use & Planning Committee Meeting

The Washington County, Wisconsin, Land Use & Planning Committee met on October 16, 2026. The committee approved the 2027 Wildlife Damage Abatement and Claims Program budget of $18,571.48, including a $3,015.04 federal cost share and $12.50 for county administration; the funding was described as pass-through money from the DNR. It also approved the crop prices for the program and retained December 1 as the 90% harvest date. For Heritage Trails County Park, the committee approved allocating endowment funds and park enterprise funds for site planning, infrastructure and utility analysis, and engineering services; no total cost was stated. It also approved allocating the remaining 2026 mountain-bike pass funds to Metro Mountain Bikers for equipment reimbursement, subject to updating the organization’s MOU. The committee adopted a fee approach that keeps the annual rider pass voluntary and sets a proposed $15 daily park entrance fee for non-Washington County residents at Heritage Trails, while county residents remain at $7. It approved 2028 venue price increases for park rental facilities, with no specific rates stated; staff cited a $475,000 revenue target and an estimated 12% increase in revenue. No new fair entertainment contracts were finalized; negotiations were ongoing. The committee also authorized a closed session to discuss easement negotiations with We Energies for the Hartford-Jackson interconnect project at the Washington County Fair Park.

Other discussion included UW Extension’s statewide needs assessment, focused on county priorities such as roads, aging services, workforce development, energy, and AI; the extension director planned to follow up with a survey. Agricultural Industrial Society representatives reported strong fair attendance and discussed future opportunities, including sponsorships and corporate events. The consent agenda, including pass-through cost-sharing contracts, was accepted without questions. No other contract awards or purchasing decisions were identified.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure, Grants & Funding
**Published:** October 16, 2026

### Sources
- [Land Use & Planning Committee Meeting](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc_yfWX_pCM) - Washington County, Wisconsin